'Inspired' Svitolina stuns fourth seed Paolini

Elina Svitolina is a two-time quarter-finalist in Melbourne

Australian Open 2025

Dates: 12-26 January Venue: Melbourne Park

Coverage: Live radio commentary on Tennis Breakfast from 07:00 GMT on BBC 5 Sports Extra, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app

Elina Svitolina says she was "inspired" by her husband Gael Monfils' performance before her win over Jasmine Paolini in the third round of the Australian Open.

Ukraine's Svitolina beat the Italian fourth seed 2-6 6-4 6-0 on Margaret Court Arena - the same court on which Monfils had ousted men's fourth seed Taylor Fritz just hours earlier.

Monfils then joined 30-year-old Svitolina's coaching team to watch her come from a set down to win and join him in the last 16.

"It was a crazy battle. I got inspired after my husband's win," said Svitolina.

"I watched a little bit of that match, of course it was tough to miss."

Svitolina went an early break up but lost five games in a row as last year's French Open and Wimbledon finalist Paolini claimed the opener.

However, a determined Svitolina wrestled momentum away midway through the second set before reeling off seven games in a row to claim victory.

"I played so bad in the first set I had to really push through," Svitolina added.

Svitolina will face Veronika Kudermetova in the last 16 after the Russian beat Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-4 6-2.

Rybakina will need 'magic' to progress in Melbourne

Elena Rybakina says she will need some "magic" if she is to go deep in Melbourne after struggling with a back problem in her third-round win.

Sixth seed Rybakina, runner-up at Melbourne Park two years ago, beat Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska 6-3 6-4 but needed a medical timeout after just three games.

The 25-year-old Kazakh was visibly struggling to move and needed seven match points to close out victory.

Asked afterwards if her back was OK, Rybakina replied: "Not really. I will see my physio and hopefully he does some magic.

"It's not so good since it's [my] lower back. Hopefully we can do everything possible.

"But for now it doesn't seem too good, to be honest."

Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina had a number of injury problems in 2024, struggling at various points with fatigue, illness and a back issue.

Rybakina will face Madison Keys, who beat Danielle Collins 6-4 6-4 later on Saturday, in the fourth round on Monday.

Meanwhile American eighth seed Emma Navarro won her her third successive three-set encounter with a 6-4 3-6 6-4 victory over Tunisia's Ons Jabeur.

The 23-year-old will next face Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina, who beat Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 7-5 6-1.